The recent flooding in seven central provinces of Vietnam has inflicted widespread losses of lives and property, production and infrastructure. At least, 592 people were killed and 24 left missing. Thua Thien-Hue province was the hardest hit province. In that province 351 people died, 24 went missing and 250 others were injured. Floods have severely affected over 670,000 households of which 15,000 have had to move to other places. About 1.6 million people are homeless and relying on relief supply.

(SGT) Nov. 16- Vietnam can still record positive growth in almost all sectors despite the adverse impact of the regional economic crisis and natural disasters on the economy, according to a Government report.

The Government is expected to present the report on the country's 1999 socio-economic performance at the sixth National Assembly sitting, which the National Assembly Office has announced will be opened on Thursday.

The report says the country will realize many economic forecasts and that performance in a number of sectors can surpass the year's targets.

VNA Ha Noi, Nov. 16 -- Vietnam welcomes the Sino-US agreement on economic and trade issues, which creates favourable conditions for China to join the World Trade Organization (WTO), a spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry said in Ha Noi on Nov. 16.

Viet Nam holds that being a major economy in the region and the world, China should obtain WTO membership, the Vietnamese diplomat stressed while answering foreign reporters' questions about Viet Nam's stance on the Sino-US relations.

The ASEAN leaders agreed to strengthen cooperation for peace and stability in the region, with the aim of facilitating economic recovery and development during the third ASEAN informal Summit in Manila, the Philippines, on November 28.

The participants expressed their happiness at ASEAN member countries' economic recovery, with an average growth rate of 2-3% in 1999 as compared with a 7% contraction in 1998. The figure is expected to reach 4-5% in 2000.

The maintenance of a peaceful and stable environment in the region is a prerequisite for cooperation and development, said Prime Minister Phan Van Khai at the third ASEAN informal Summit held in Manila, the Philippines on November 28.

The situation in the Korean Peninsular, the East Sea, and East Timor, and the threat of an arms race only confirm the value of the basic principles of international relations, such as respect for independence, non-interference in each other

After the meetings of ASEAN +3 and ASEAN +1, the leaders of the ten ASEAN countries, China, Japan and the Republic of Korea signed a joint declaration on East Asian co-operation.

The announcement noted, "Diplomatic and trade relation in Eastern Asia have become more and more developed, which has created many opportunities for co-operation. Many new factors have pushed peace, stability and prosperity in the region".

A joint communique to this effect was signed in New York on Oct. 21 by Vietnamese and Saudi Arabian Ambassadors Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary and Permanent Representatives to the United Nations, Ngo Quang Xuan and Fawzi Shobokshi, respectively.